New Delhi, Oct 13: What initially felt as a stroll towards a 2-0 series win turned into a day of hard graft for India, as they fielded for exactly 200 overs since mid of day two and will now come back on day five to get the victory at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.

Set a modest target of 121, India closed day four’s play at 63/1 in 18 overs, with unbeaten pair of B Sai Sudharsan (30) and KL Rahul (25) taking them to safety at stumps after the early loss of Yashasvi Jaiswal. The hosts require just 58 more runs to seal the series, but the path to reaching this point was anything but straightforward.

When West Indies resumed their second innings 50 minutes after lunch on day three, few would have predicted the spirited fightback that would follow. Tagenarine Chanderpaul’s mistimed hook off Mohammed Siraj and Alick Athanaze’s dismissal to Washington Sundar on the stroke of tea had left them tottering at 35/2.

But John Campbell and Shai Hope had other plans. Their third-wicket stand of 177 was the cornerstone of West Indies’ revival, pushing the match into day four and eventually day five. Campbell’s 115 was his maiden Test century, a milestone reached in his 50th innings, while Hope ended an eight-year drought for a hundred with a composed 103.

Together, they stitched a narrative of defiance and fight that had been missing from West Indies’ recent red-ball outings. From being bowled out inside three days in Ahmedabad to stretching the match into day five in New Delhi despite being made to follow-on, West Indies showed the kind of character fans have long yearned for.

India’s bowlers, who had looked in control for much during the first innings, were made to toil hard under bright sunshine. Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav picked up three wickets apiece, as West Indies went from 293/4 to 311/9. They were further left frustrated by the final wicket pair of Justin Greaves and Jayden Seales batting out 25.2 overs and adding 79 runs, making it West Indies’ second-best partnership of the year.

Greaves remained unbeaten on 50, his knock a blend of grit and restraint, while Seales chipped in with a valuable 32. The decision to enforce the follow-on after 81.5 overs in the first innings was a bold one, but India perhaps underestimated the fight left in the opposition.

On a slow pitch offering occasional turn, Rahul and Sudharsan negotiated the final session with poise, ensuring no further hiccups. The target may be modest, but the match has already delivered a reminder that Test cricket, at its best, is still a game of patience, perseverance and unexpected turns.

Resuming day four from 97 runs behind, Campbell and Hope were untroubled in their partnership to keep the scoreboard moving, despite Bumrah getting the old ball to reverse and Jadeja threatening both edges.

Campbell got his century in stunning fashion - a mighty slog-sweep off Jadeja going over long-on fence, and celebrated reaching the landmark by removing his helmet and soaking applause from the dressing room.

He then slashed Mohammed Siraj for two boundaries, as West Indies went unscathed through the first hour. But after a motivational talk by KL Rahul in the drinks break, Campbell was dropped on 111 when the outside edge went between keeper Dhruv Jurel and first slip.

With three fielders in the off-side region, Campbell went for an expansive reverse-sweep, but was trapped lbw by a quicker delivery from Jadeja for 115. Hope continued to stand tall by punching Washington Sundar for four, before skipper Roston Chase clubbed and reverse-swept the off-spinner for six and four to bring West Indies' deficit under 50 runs at lunch break.

The middle session began with Hope getting an outside edge off Siraj on the second new ball helping him bring up his first Test hundred in eight years. A single from Roston Chase then ensured that West Indies’ entered the lead and India would need to bat again for winning the match – the last time they batted after enforcing follow on was in a win over England in Ahmedabad in 2012.

Siraj finally provided the breakthrough when he had Hope chopping on to his stumps. Tevin Imlach took a four and six off Kuldeep in the leg-side, before the wrist-spinner had the last laugh by trapping the wicketkeeper-batter lbw.

Low bounce again did the trick for India when Roston Chase was too early into a flick off Kuldeep and leading edge was caught by mid-wicket. One brought two for Kuldeep as Khary Pierre went for an expansive slog, and was caught by mid-off.

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Bumrah joined the wicket-takers’ list when his inswinger sent Jomel Warrican’s off-stump on a cartwheel ride and then drew a thin edge of Anderson Philip’s forward prod, and was caught by Dhruv Jurel.

With Greaves and Seales hanging around to keep the scoreboard moving and hit boundaries occasionally, the session was extended by 30 minutes. But India failed to get the final wicket as Greaves ended the session with a lofted over mid-on off Sundar, as his partnership with Seales crossed the half-century mark.

Greaves and Seales continued to frustrate India, even as the former reached his fifty. India’s decision to bring back Bumrah paid off when Seales flicked straight to deep square leg to end a stubborn last-wicket stand and West Indies’ spirited innings, though it was inadequate to deny India from being on the doorstep of a comfortable win.

Set 121 to win, Jaiswal began India’s chase on a high by taking eight runs off Seales, including getting boundaries through cover and third man. But Jaiswal looked to hit a six off Warrican’s first ball, but failed to get the desired elevation and holed out to long-on.

Rahul and Sudharsan batted cautiously to get timely boundaries, with the latter flicking and driving off his wrists for picking boundaries off Pierre. Sudharsan welcomed Chase with a creamy drive going past wide mid-off for four, before edging an off-break past slip for another boundary.

Rahul broke his shell by using his supple wrists to flick Pierre for four, before he and Sudharsan walked off by keeping India in a commanding position to complete a win and clinch the series.

Brief Scores: India 518/5 dec and 63/1 in 18 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 30 not out, KL Rahul 25 not out; Jomel Warrican 1-15) trail West Indies 248 and 390 in 118.5 overs (John Campbell 115, Shai Hope 103; Jasprit Bumrah 3-44, Kuldeep Yadav 3-104) by 58 runs

--IANS

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